Along the Natchez Trace

Sunday, December 16, 2012

THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Stillwell Store Near Big Bend National Park

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

After our week in the Fredericksburg/Stonewell Texas area we headed for one of Man's bucket list places to visit :: Big Bend National Park. It would be a two day drive, first day to Fort Stockton, next day a much shorter ride to Stillwell Store and RV Park about 6 or 7 miles from the north entrance to the park. We had discussed where to stay and how far to drive each day with our traveling friends J & D. J came up with a idea that turned into a GREAT idea, drive only to Stillwell, stay there at least one night, check it out and then decide what, when and where to go next. Big Bend is large, no, HUGE, no larger than HUGE. We had discussed driving from Fort Stockton to the north entrance and continuing on to Study Butte (on the west side of the park), but, we did not want to do that in the late afternoon not being certain of road conditions, how slow or fast we might have to go. So, Stillwell it was.

Some of the scenery on the drive from Fort Stockton to Stillwell, noting this is the southern part of the Rocky Mountains. It has been very dry, they have had a drought for 4 years. Lots of beige, not much green.

The road in was a good one, smooth for the most part, a bit rolly polly, but, not rough or chucking.

Son # 1 asked me to describe Big Bend in 3 sentences, I did it in one word: Geology.

Yep, it was another day for the U-turn. The ranch road 2627 when intersecting with 385 had no sign for the Stillwell Store and Ranch, it had been taken down. Lucky for us, friend J had mentioned the Hallie Stillwell Museum, and we saw that sign (arrow), but, not till we had rolled past the intersection. J did not roll through, he made the turn, Man backed Tana up to the intersection (no traffic, NONE) and we followed them into Stillwell.

Our first view of the campground:

No cell phones worked here, the air cards did not work here, there was NO telie here, no cable, but, the campground had fantastic wifi. We were a bit concerned when the owner said, well, not sure the wifi will work, it was hit by lightening recently. GULP. Love the ironies in life, probably the fastest internet connection I have had in a LONG time!

Here we are set up:

The Stillwell Store. Love the bottle tree - -

They sell gas:

Not sure you read that sign right?? Here, a closer look:

The owner said, you really should walk down the road a bit and watch the sunset, it looks promising this evening, so we did:

Yes, indeedy, J's suggestion to stop at Stillwell was a great one, we spent 3 nights there, enjoying the east and central parts of Big Bend National Park from there. We also visited the Hallie Stillwell Museum, more on that soon, come on back, ya hear - -

Count

All photos on this blog are those taken by Man or Moi, unless otherwise noted. Documents are either from some great genealogy site or are scans of originals I have turned up in my years of research. Other images should be accompanied by some kind of source data.

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Splitting the Family Tree

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About Me

Things I love: Family, Grandchildren, Rving, computers (sometimes, but not when they are being bad), family history, yorkies, techy toys like my iToys, photography.
I am all of these, so I write about them all, and more.

Photo courtesy of Deborah Flynn Guinther

If you surf in and see a name in your family tree, please contact me, best way, of course, is by email. You know the routine, change the AT and the DOT:
lashbrooke5 AT yahoo DOT com

Which Am I?

Am I a genealogist or a family historian?

Well, both of course, how can you be one without the other?

A family historian depends on the genealogist to supply the facts.

A genealogist depends on the family historian to tell the stories.

Genealogist, family historian, I am one in the same.

The bad towing machine: JGGBB4, Jolly Green Giant Big Butt 4.

Favorite sayings

" Living on Earth isn't cheap, but it does include a yearly free trip around the sun." (Source unknown.)

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

"The only difference between a rut and a grave...is the depth."

Chinese proverb: "To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root."

"I sure wish they sold memory sticks for humans...I could use an upgrade."

"Don't let procrastination be your primary time management skill."

"If you are normal....no one will listen, If you're deranged....they will make you their leader."

"You're just jealous that the voices are talking to ME!"

"I'm quite sure that no friendship yields its true pleasure and nobility of nature without frequent communication, sympathy and service." (From George E. Woodberry)

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand." (From Henri Nouwen)

"Don't go where the road leads, rather go where there is no road and make a trail."

"Broken hearts are what give us strength, understanding and compassion."